NSF Calls for National Drowsy Driving Agenda at Congressional Hearing
WASHINGTON, DC, June 27, 2002 --Underreported crash incidences, inconsistent state reporting practices, and unreliable self-reporting all contribute to the view of drowsy driving as "a silent killer" on the nation's highways, according to National Sleep Foundation (NSF) testimony delivered today before a congressional subcommittee.
At a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on approaches to improving highway safety, Darrel Drobnich, NSF senior director of Government and Transportation Affairs told members of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, "We have only begun to scratch the surface in determining how large the problem of drowsy driving really is." He added that drowsy driving is now often viewed as "the silent killer" because of widespread underreporting.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conservatively estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year. These crashes cause over 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries, as well as $12.5 billion in diminished productivity and property loss. But, according to Drobnich, most researchers and traffic safety officials believe the statistics are significantly higher for reasons that include:
* The belief that a good portion of motor-vehicle crashes that are not currently reported may be sleep-related
* The lack of police training to detect sleep-related crashes
* An absence of proper codes for sleepiness on some state crash report forms and inconsistent state reporting practices for citing driver drowsiness
* The role of drowsiness in crashes attributed to other causes
"Driving while tired can be as hazardous as driving while drunk," Drobnich noted. He noted that groups most at risk include:
* Young people, especially males, aged 16-29
* Persons with untreated sleep problems or disorders (e.g. sleep apnea, etc.)
* Shift workers, especially those who work the night shift, have a rotating shift, or work more than one job
* Commercial drivers, especially those who drive a nigh number of miles or at night
* Business travelers who spend many hours driving or may be experiencing jet lag
NSF's recommendations to the Subcommittee to help stem the tide of injuries and fatalities caused by drowsy drivers include:
* The establishment of funding to help states and organizations create drowsy driving education and injury prevention programs and materials
* Federal funding to train police officers to detect and report drowsy driving as a causal factor in crashes and to educate law enforcement and the judiciary in effects of fatigue and sanctions available for drowsy driving
* Federal funding to promote increased construction of continuous shoulder rumble strips along all Interstates and additional highway rest stops
* Fund additional research on the nature and scope of the problem of drowsy driving
As part of its own continuing efforts to combat the needless injuries and fatalities related to driver fatigue, NSF will spearhead a two-day summit designed to elevate the importance and awareness of the dangers of drowsy driving on the public agenda. The conference, scheduled for November 21-22 in Washington, DC, will team leaders in transportation, safety, and health with sleep researchers and others to create a comprehensive agenda to guide national, state, and local drowsy driving prevention activities. The summit theme, "The Many Faces of Drowsy Driving," will be brought to life with personal stories conveyed by victims of drowsy driving crashes.
For more information, visit the NSF Web site.
The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving greater understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting public education, sleep-related research, and advocacy.
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